


Put The Past To Rest

by ladyofdecember



Series: FrenderMonth2017 [4]
Category: Futurama
Genre: A look at human-robot aggressions, Angst, Established Relationship, Flashback, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 13:53:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11784525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: Bender thinks back to his life pre-Fry, a time of disillusionment and denial. FrenderMonth2017 prompt: Week 2: Angst & Bad Memory.





	Put The Past To Rest

**Author's Note:**

> This is super sad, like Bender being in denial of how he feels, convinced he's crazy for experiencing emotions and constantly trying to get his circuits back on course? Fuck.
> 
> At least he has Fry in the present day. The first part is of course, a flashback.

Bender walked down the street, his suction cups clanking on the hot, summer cement. He passed various people and some aliens as he carried on his way. A couple of people bumped into him and carried on as if they hadn't, no apologies, they didn't even pause about their way.

It was currently 2:14PM on a wednesday and the robot had just finished his morning shift at the plant. With nothing left on his itinerary to do the rest of the day, he was heading back to his apartment to power down until the next morning, that was, until something soft and furry caught his attention across the way.

Bender paused in his journey as he turned to face the park across the street. For some reason, he turned and began making his way in the opposite direction of his domicile towards said park.

The robot soon reached the focus of his attention, a group of small, fluffy, brown squirrels, a family it seemed. They were scampering about, playing with one another and chasing each other around the green, green grass. Bender stood there watching them, feeling a strange sensation well up inside of him.

It was almost like he was jealous of the small creatures, as free and happy as they were. But no, that was ridiculous. He was a robot, he had a purpose, to bend girders and that was that. There was no need for anything more. He didn't have feelings, those were for humans, after all.

Some owls then joined the group of critters and they seemed to be waiting for something. Bender realized they must want something to eat, used to humans sitting on the bench nearby and feeding them. But then, why would they confuse him with a person? He was a cold-hearted machine, dammit!

Bender frowned angrily at the owls and shooed them away, in the process, scaring the squirrels as well. He watched as they ran off towards a nearby tree, quickly climbing to the top and pausing on a branch to peer curiously down at him. His circuits halted then as he began to feel something akin to heartbreak.

“See... I'm a robot. There's no reason for you guys to gather around me. I'm just... a machine.” He peered down at his foot cups then, his eyes slanting halfway shut as he struggled to go on concentrating on his prime directive. He stood there a second or two more, unable to do much more than just stare helplessly towards the ground in defeat.

One of the younger of the group of squirrels scampered back down the bark carefully. It called to him quietly, from just a few feet away, standing on it's hind legs and cocking it's head to the side curiously. Bender looked up and imitating the action, well as best he could with a neck that didn't rotate. “What is it, little guy? You're not... scared?”

The squirrel chattered a bit at him and then took a step or two closer, sniffing at the ground cautiously. Bender smiled, feeling a bit better though still disturbed and puzzled at just what he was doing right now. He should already be back at the apartment, shutting down for the day. He was way past schedule and began to think perhaps he was due for a tune-up. His processors must be misfiring again. 

Feeling low at the idea that his systems were less than ideal once more, Bender sighed. “I gotta go, friend. Maybe I'll... uh, see you around?” He said, lamely with a shrug of his arm attachments.

“Hey you! Machine!” A voice beckoned from behind him angrily.

Bender turned to see an older woman, wearing some sort of gown and house robe over it. “Get outta my spot! These are my feedin' squirrels!” She yelled, shaking her cane at him. “You damn machines! No good fer' nothin'!”

The bending unit nodded, head slightly inclined as he turned without a word and began to head to his storage locker. He was wrong, he shouldn't have gone off course. What was he thinking?

Bender headed all the way back to Robot Arms Apartments, up to his room and shut down to ready himself for the shift the next day. A robot's gotta do, what a robot's gotta do.

…

Bender stared out the large picturesque window in their living room, lost in thought. He didn't know how long he'd been standing there, for it wasn't until Fry entered and placed a warm hand on his would-be shoulder, that he was brought back to reality.

“'Sup buddy?” The redhead asked easily, smiling warmly, though it disappeared quickly once he noticed the sad look on his best friend's face. “What's wrong, Bender?”

The robot sighed and tried to cover up his thoughts. “Aw, nothin'.” He moved to walk past the man towards their kitchen, intent on finding something to eat. The action had become so ingrained into his routine that he had to pause now and even question why he was doing such a thing. After all, robots didn't need food. They simply required alcohol to function. He paused in front of their refrigerator in reflection. Things really had changed.

Fry had followed him, concern etched all across his face. “Buddy, you can talk to me. You can tell me anything, you know that!”

Bender faced his friend, a man, the love of his life and smiled, feeling a bit better. “I know. I was just thinkin', back before I met you, what a mess I was.”

“A mess? How do ya mean?”

“I was... well, in denial I guess about how I was feeling about everything, about how I was built.”

Fry followed Bender back in to the living room, the robot giving up on “eating” anything at the moment. They sat down together on the couch.

“I used to be all about business, I mean, bending.”

The redhead placed a hand on the robot's arm, making him smile with the contact. “Go on.”

Bender nodded, as best he could, tightly wound head and all. “I wasn't as comfortable with my feelings back then. I felt like... like I was malfunctioning or I was going crazy. I'm glad that I met you though. Now I actually have someone in my life that cares about me and won't judge me for the way I am.”

Fry scooted closer to his boyfriend, wanting to comfort and reassure him as much as possible. “Absolutely! Bender, I fully support you no matter what. I... I love you. I love the way you are, love you exactly the way you are, even if that sounds cheesy.” He giggled at how the statement sounded, the robot relishing in the sound.

He quickly pushed the human down towards the couch cushions, being careful not to lay all of his weight on top of the fragile man. He grinned and giggled as well. “Aw, Fry, that's as corny as one of those... uh, silly romance cards, you know the ones!”

Fry beamed up at the robot and pressed his nose to the area Bender's would be, had he the need for one. He then kissed him soundly on his vocal grill.

“I'm just glad I don't have to live that kind of life anymore. It was so... empty.”

“You don't have to worry about that anymore.”

They kissed once more.


End file.
